The Legacy of Anne Frank

by Gillian Walnes Perry

From her secret hiding place in wartime Amsterdam, the Jewish teenager Anne Frank wrote heart-wrenchingly about the terrors of a captivity that would ultimately end with her death at the hands of the Nazis. In her world-famous diaries, she described with remarkable honesty her transition from childhood to a deep thinking, opinionated and passionate teenager. The life she longed to live, during which she would help to create a more caring world, was tragically not to be. In August 1944, she and her family were captured and deported to Auschwitz.

Two years after her death from starvation and disease in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, her diary was published. It quickly became an international sensation, going on to influence hearts and minds for over seventy years.

Although many books and literary analyses have been written about Anne Frank’s life and diary, none have explored the surprising influence she has had on young people in countries all over the world, helping to shape their moral framework and giving them critical life skills. This is due in part to the merits of a travelling exhibition created by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam in 1985 which has so far been seen by over 9 million people. The Anne Frank exhibition, along with its innovative educational and cultural activities, has circumnavigated the globe many times.

In this fascinating study, Gillian Walnes Perry explores the various legacies of Anne Frank's influence. She looks at the complex life of Anne Frank’s father and the motivations that powered his educational philosophy. She shares new insights into the real Anne Frank, personally gifted by those who actually knew her. Global icons such as Nelson Mandela and Audrey Hepburn relate the influence that Anne Frank had on shaping their own lives.

This book presents - all in one place and for the very first time - the inspirational stories of a diverse variety of people from all over the world, brought together by the words of one particularly articulate and inspiring teenage victim of the Holocaust.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

304 pages, Paperback

Published August 17, 2018

About the author

Gillian Walnes Perry co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK in 1990, along with family and friends of Anne Frank’s father, Otto Frank. In 2010, she was awarded an MBE for her work in education. She has spent time with many people who knew Anne Frank personally, and educators from all over the world who have tirelessly been perpetuating the powerful messages of Anne's life and writing. After 26 years of building the Anne Frank Trust, she retired as the charity’s Executive Director in 2016. She now lectures and writes about the life and legacy of Anne Frank, as well as a range of popular social history topics.

Reviews

[Elma Voogdt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne Frank’s Diary is the second most sold non-fiction book of all time, after th Bible ofcourse. After you have read this book you finally understand how powerful her influence has been through the years and still is.

Anne Frank has become a global icon in the decades since her death by genocide, her story and writings transformed into symbols of the quest for universal human rights. Educator Perry has spent almost three decades at the center of that endeavor as cofounder of the UK-based Anne Frank Trust, which pursues these goals through traveling exhibitions, education, and outreach. In her first book, she presents an overview of Frank’s life and death, but focuses primarily on the history of the Trust. What makes the book particularly worth reading is the fact that it was written by someone who has not only devoted her life to studying Anne Frank but also teaching and sharing her stories.

The author also includes stories of her own relationships with Holocaust survivors, including Anne’s father, Otto Frank.

[Federica Pannocchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Gillian's book. I work a lot with students to encourage them to remember Anne Frank's story in order to learn from the errors of the past and in order to build a better society today. Anne Frank's life and Diary changed my life. I already know a lot about her, but it is never enough.
Gillian is such a wonderful person, such an amazing human being which I am honoured to be connected with. She is an inspiration. To read her book was a gift, to me. It was such a refreshing, deep, touching reading and I would suggest it to everyone. It really helped me to reflect even more on so many arguments learning new things.

[Adina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic insights from Anne Frank Trust UK’s long-time director Gillian Wayne’s Perry. The strengths of the book lie in its portrayal of the Anne Frank House’s international traveling exhibit program, and especially in its accompanying peer-to-peer educator program. Some of the chapters read more like travelogues than analysis, and some details feel out-of-place, but overall the tone is thoughtful and accessible, and the writing is cogent.

[BEth Coulson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating behind the scenes read. I learned so much about Anne, her family and the way her legacy was carried on, even today.